The Conflict

Book Review: The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

First off, I will say how much I love the cover to this book. So awesome. So cool. So colourful. Take a look, then you will understand.

I also loved the premise of this book. At first, it seemed to hold so much promise. But very quickly, I was lost in the boring, slow moving, self-serving backstory. To put it bluntly, the first five chapters were painful, but I held on because I was very intrigued with the idea that someone’s touch could me death.

After the first five chapters, the story picked up, as it moved away from all the exposition, at least for a little while. There were a few twists and turns I’m still not sure I liked, and a triangle that didn’t quite form. It is difficult to rate this book because as I said, I loved the premise, but it just wasn’t carried off near as well as it could have been. Editor fail, I think. However, I’m sure part of this is just preference, and it didn’t move along quickly enough for me. Though there were points where things seemed to just jump ahead (maybe a few too many epiphanies for the MC).

Overall, I’d give it a 2/5. I did get to the end, but at times it was precarious.

I’ll proudly say it: I love Star Wars. I’m a huge fan and have been since before I can remember. As a child, I loved acting out the scene from Star Wars A New Hope where Princess Leia is stunned by the stormtroopers. I acted it out over and over again, until eventually I outgrew it. Now I’m an adult, and parents no longer control how much time I spend in front of my television or computer, so I’m free to watch the movies whenever I want (yes, my father did actually ban me from watching Star Wars as a child because he’d seen it too many times). But, over the fast few years, I hadn’t watched the old movies as much. Honestly, I no longer needed to, because I had every moment memorized. So, imagine how thrilled I was for a new Star Wars movie. Naturally, I saw The Force Awakens on opening day.

I loved it.’

I wasn’t head over heals in love with it. But I loved it.

That’s all you need for a review of that.

So, after I’d seen the movie, and felt that yawning stretch of another year before I get another new Star Wars movie, I found this: a Princess Leia comic.

I devoured it. I loved it. I loved how it stayed so true to the character and yet brought in new depth for her. I loved the artwork. I loved the cover. I loved it all. If you’re like me, and grew up idolizing Princess Leia, and you just can’t get enough: read it. 5/5 stars. 

Happy New Year to All!

I’m excited for 2016 to begin. I have a few amazing things coming for you all this year. First off, Dark Shores, Book 3 of the Black Depths series will be released in March. So make sure to read Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch and Broken Tide before then. Before the end of the year, the Black Depths series will reach it’s conclusion, though I am not entirely sure when the fourth and final book will be released. A new standalone book, called Under Jupiter, will be release mid-year for you all to enjoy. This is science fiction, so look out all you outer space lovers, this YA adventure is for you. There will be plenty more book reviews, movie reviews, etc. this year. I will update creative projects and interesting ideas as I have them. And of course I will continue with posting a photo writing prompt every Tuesday.

Do you have any New Year’s plans? If so, I’d love to hear them. Any big aspirations in 2016?

Here is a page from my art journal with some thoughts of my own.

This old bus…

Enter to win a free copy of Broken Tide, sequel to Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch. Haven’t read Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch? Get it for 99 cents on Amazon.com. Also on Kobo, iBooks etc, just follow the links on the right to your preferred retailer.

The giveaway is hosted by Goodreads. Click here to enter.  Currently, you can only enter if you live in Canada, the USA or Great Britain, primarily due to shipping cost. But if you live anywhere else in the world, you should be able to get a copy of the ebook to read about Nessa’s continuing adventure.

As you can see, the giveaway is open from December 28th until January 5th, so enter while you can. Winners *should* receive their copies by the end of January 2016.

Merry Christmas and Happy Season to All! Will be back on the 28th!

In case you haven’t read it, this is the launch week for Broken Tide – book 2 of the Black Depths Series. The first was Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch. Both books are available everywhere, but click on the links on the side to find them both on Amazon.

Now that I’m done with so much writing, I’m going to take a reading break, before delving into a bunch more writing. I went to my two favourite book stores yesterday, and picked up some new reading and some new writing books. Aren’t they pretty?

It’ll be a short break though, as I’m planning on releasing Book 3 of the Black Depths Series in March 2016!

In my novella, Windbound, which is a prequel in the Black Depths Series, the main character is Amynta, a Siren who lives in Greece. Windbound is currently FREE on Amazon Kindle from now until December 5th, to celebrate the release of Broken Tide, the sequel to Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch. 

Sirens are typically defined as winged women who can compel sailors onto the rocks, leading them to their death. In my world of Neptunian’s, sirens are a little bit different.

This is my definition for the Black Depths Series

Siren: a humanoid female who has the power to compel humans (female or male) to do her bidding. This power is gifted by the sea, and is to be used to protect colonies of Neptunians and the sea (or any body of water) from harm. Sirens can often be vengeful and quick to act, and are known for their extremely competitive nature (between sirens). Human hunters highly prize siren catches, as a siren’s tongue, once cut out, can grant any human the power of compulsion (one time use). Sirens cannot compel other Neptunians, except with dark magic, which is forbidden.

In the window…